Transit characteristics of a neutrophil passing through two moderate constrictions in a cylindrical capillary vessel (Effect of cell deformation on transit through the second constriction)

Neutrophils must flow through the pulmonary capillary network in a deformed shape because pulmonary capillaries are closely interconnected, and deformed neutrophils take about 15 s to 1 min to return to their resting spherical shape. In this paper, flow of a neutrophil through two moderate constrictions in a pipeline is numerically investigated, focusing on the effect of cell deformation on the cell's transit time through the constrictions. Changing sizes and positions of the constrictions, we found that the maximum cell radius at the entrance of the constriction and the throat radius of the constriction are the dominant factors in predicting the cell's transit time through the constriction. When the difference between these two radii is relatively large, steeper constriction (smaller radius of curvature) increases the transit time, but this tendency is reversed when the difference is small. Cells traverse the constriction without delay when the maximum cell radius and throat radius are comparable. Finally, we present a simple mathematical model for the transit time.